Basilisk
The 'Basilisk ('also Basilicok, Basiliskos) appeared in various forms throughout history. It started off as a small crowned snake being able to kill with its lethal poison and evil gaze. The poison was so lethal, it left a wide trail of venom in its wake. Despite its cruel nature, it still resembles power (and sometimes that of hell in christian mythology), thus it became the guardian creature and the traditional symbol of the Swiss city Basel. Myths & Legends The basilisk is believed to be the most poisonous creature ever lived, there are tales where the basilisk was killed by a spear from horse-back, but the poison flowed upward and killed both the man and the ride. Its presence is so tainting, that not only herbs die of its terrible breath, but stones shatter as well. The basilisk's venom is so strong, that upon drinking from a well, the water remains polluted for centuries, bringing death to anyone drinking it. The basilisk can only be a male, for it must have the most proper receptacle of venom and destructive qualities. Its is also said to be so evil, that when it cannot petrify animals it turns to plants, withering them anywhere it goes. Appearance Medieval travelers described it as a large, fire breathing creature with a terrifying roar. It soon be came descirbed as a rooster with a serpent's tail and (occasionally) dragon wings. This shows similarities with the cockatrice, but there is one difference. The basilisk is said to be hatched from the egg of a rooster (yes, rooster, not chicken) and incubated by a toad, while the birthing process of a cockatrice is vica versa, a toad's egg hatched by a rooster. Another description of the Basilisk is of a lizard with a rooster's head, the tail of a serpent and eight chicken legs. Based off of this, many modern depictions of a basilisk as a large, six- or eight-legged lizard, armed with a petrifying gaze. Defending against The tales about the basilisk being petrified by its own appearance in a mirror exist, but it can be slayed by other various methods. It is also vulnerable to the cockcrow of a rooster. This belief lead to travelers carrying roosters for self protection. It can also be stopped by the odor of a weasel. The villagers threw it in the pit (recognized by the dying vegetation nearby) of the basilisk in hope to get rid of the beast. The weasel itself usually kills the basilisk on its own as well by urinating on the monster, but this almost always leads to the death of the mammal. Gallery Mythology and Folklore tumblr_onqbhwymWK1u7wmpio3_1280.jpg Basilisk egg 1.jpg Basilisk egg.jpg BASILISK 2.png Basilisk 7.jpg Basilisk 4.jpg Basilisk 9.jpg the-basilisk.jpg Video games basilisk.png|A Basilisk from Ark Survival Evolved Aberration DLC. dragon-basilisk-monster-legendary-creature-video-game-walkthrough-dragon.jpg Basilisk (1).png An_island_basilisk.png download - 2019-09-06T135241.018.jpg maxresdefault - 2019-09-06T135305.787.jpg maxresdefault - 2019-09-06T135901.532.jpg 3rdGen-Qurupeco_Render_001.png Films 70f55f045bfe2cb4f3505f926ce27747001a85fev2_hq.jpg|Basilisk from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. download - 2019-09-06T135626.189.jpg Animations Overlord_II_EP01_057.png de1b40681ecc33174e8ff163bf22990f1559735755_full.jpg maxresdefault - 2019-09-22T124001.065.jpg Basilisk_Anime_Infobox (1).png C49ECCEB-2D3C-449A-99EB-DDB5DB5F1B59.jpeg Masonthetrex 1190.JPG Sarah1692 217.JPG Comics Category:Mythological monsters Category:Hybrid Category:Birds in mythology Category:Greek mythology Category:Roman mythology Category:Medieval mythology